Geneva Township (part 3 of 3)

Connecticut, and died in 1852. The father of Mrs. A. W. Howard was born in Farmington, Hartford county, Connecticut, July 30, 1788, died 1864, in Austinburg. Her mother was born September 11, 1790, died March 1, 1874, also in Austinburg.

Deacon Joseph Mills

became a dweller upon the soil of this county seventy-eight years ago. His coming hither was simultaneous with the ushering in of the century. In June of the year 1800 the first white woman came to what now is the township of Austinburg. She was the mother of the subject of this sketch, - he, an infant of a year old. His parents starting from Norfolk, Connecticut, had consummated a long and wearisome journey, and on the night of June 6 had reached a locality in the forest but a few rods distant from Mr. Eliphalet Austin's house, their destination. Darkness and a severe storm overtook them, and they determined to encamp for the night in the woods. During that dark and stormy night this intrepid woman sat upon her saddle on the ground with her infant son in her arms, while an umbrella was held over mother and child to protect them as best this feeble shelter might from the fury of the storm. In this strange and novel manner was this pioneer resident of Ashtabula soil introduced to this forest region. He was the third child of Sterling and Abigail Mills, the date of his birth being June 24, 1799. In his early boyhood he was made serviceable to the settlement in carrying his father's and his father's neighbors' grist to the mill on horseback. He was the only boy in the colony of proper age to perform this duty, and his father owned the only horse in the settlement at that time. Joseph was a studious lad, and although the advantages for obtaining an education were limited, he made diligent use of every available moment, and early acquired a literary taste that never deserted him. Growing up to manhood upon his father's farm, he was united in marriage with Chloe Caloway in the year 1819. This lady was a resident of Austinburg, and had come to Ohio with Jacob Austin, Esq. From this union were born eight children, as follows: Eliza, born in 1820 ; Harlow, born in 1821 Sterling, born in 1824; Laura, born in 1826; Edwin, born in 1828; .John D., born in 1834 ; Alice, born in 1837 ; and Lewis Joseph, born in 1839. The mother of these children died April 20, 1843; and on November 29 of the same year Mr. Mills married again, the lady's name being Lois Hotchkiss. The children by this marriage were Willard, born in 1846, died in infancy; and Emma A., born in 1850, who married A. Krum. His second wife died on October 29, 1876, and in August, 1877, he married a third time, the lady's name being Jane Case. Deacon Mills died on the 22d day of March, 1878, being nearly seventy-nine years old. One of the oldest citizens of the county, his life has been a useful one to the community in which he dwelt. He was warmly attached to the Congregational church, of which he was a worthy and a prominent member. He was early made a deacon of the c-burch in Austinburg, and has been known among his neighbors for the last half-century or more as " Deacon Mills." He has held some township offices, but his tastes were not in this direction. He preferred the quiet of his home life, and took great delight in books, of which he was a diligent student. His memory was wonderfully retentive. A farmer, he acquired by slow, toilsome industry a handsome competence, being at his death the owner of some three hundred acres of land. But few men of Ashtabula County saw more of privation and hardship incident to pioneer life, and none faced them with a more courageous and determined spirit. Who would not wish to live the quiet, peaceful, long and useful life Deacon Mills has lived? and what higher tribute to his memory can be paid than that his integrity was spotless, his virtues manly, and that his name will long remain a household word in the homes of those among whom he dwelt ?